Peninsula readers' letters: June 16

From Daily News Group readers

Posted:
06/13/2013 01:57:53 PM PDT

Updated:
06/14/2013 12:11:27 AM PDT

Buena Vista solution

Dear Editor: This is just too easy. Delay the eviction of the Buena Vista Mobile Home Park residents until the Matadero project is completed and move them there at the same rent they now pay, plus moving expenses of course. Then let the new owner of the mobile home park recycle all of the existing trailers before starting his project.

Will Radcliffe,

Palo Alto

Obama and surveillance

Dear Editor: I would like to commend your newspaper for solid coverage of the data mining and surveillance controversy in your Weekend edition. The quote from President Barack Obama, whom columnist Gail Collins later noted was a constitutional law professor, was particularly illuminating as he stated his two commitments: "No. 1, to keep the American people safe, and No. 2 to uphold the Constitution."

He appears to have the order reversed. If he does not uphold the Constitution, every manner of mischief and excess can be tolerated in creating a garrison state in which we are "safe" but have lost our constitutionally protected rights and freedoms.

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It is not surprising that someone who has decided that he has the right of life and death over anyone, as drone commander, also sees search warrants as just another tool of national security. Perhaps his course of study at law did not include the Declaration of Independence, our nation's founding document.

It seems that to him "open and transparent" means open when caught and transparent when it suits him. Your efforts at informing the public are laudable.

John Fredrich,

Palo Alto

Reports greatly exaggerated?

Dear Editor: My initial and sarcastic reaction to Arthur Cohen's June 12 letter stating that 20,000 Muslims attacked a Coptic church in Alexandria was, "20,000? Did they sell tickets?"

While Cohen's claim appears on some dubious websites, what seems to have happened is that there was a protest outside the church triggered by some guy peeking through an open window and seeing someone's wife. The protest ended in some violence, probably due to a small fraction of the people who were there. Other news sources mentioned one death and "dozens wounded," which is not consistent with 20,000 attackers unless they are unbelievably inept, in which case you'd be hard-pressed to get all of them close enough to actually do anything.

If it actually was 20,000 attackers for a single church, we have nothing to worry about. Napoleon only needed around 50,000 (excluding troop replacements) to take over Italy.

Bill Zaumen,

Palo Alto

Aid to Egypt

Dear Editor: I agree with Art Cohn (Letters, June 12) that Egypt is not living up to the standards we require to receive over $1 billion in aid. It is true that they are still complying with the peace agreement with Israel and that is important.

However, their actions regarding civil rights are not in compliance. The $1.3 billion in aid pales in comparison to the more than $4 billion that Secretary of State John Kerry wants to give to the Palestinian Authority despite the fact that it continues to incite violence against Israel, refuses to negotiate with Israel and refuses to hold elections.

What does Kerry expect us to get for more than $5 billion in aid? Based on past performances from Egypt and the Palestinians, we will probably be throwing our money away. Worse yet, some of our weapons may end up in the hands of terrorists.